Todd Palin a Tough Dad

Tuesday

The quiet, chiseled-jaw man standing next to Gov. Sarah Palin is nothing like the other three campaign spouses caught in the whirlwind of the presidential race, and not just because he's a man.

WASILLA, Alaska - The quiet, chiseled-jaw man standing next to Gov. Sarah Palin is nothing like the other three campaign spouses caught in the whirlwind of the presidential race, and not just because he's a man.

Todd Palin is an oil worker and a union man - a conservative, moose-hunting, snowmobile-racing hockey fan and one-time backer of Alaskan independence. And in the frontier society of Alaska, Palin's bona fides are not unusual.

Palin, who is part-Yup'ik Eskimo, is best known here for winning the grueling 2,000-mile Tesoro Iron Dog snowmobile race four times.

In the most recent race, in February, he hit a barrel covered in snow that sent him flying from his machine 400 miles from the finish line. He broke his arm - and still finished the race in fourth place.

"He's one of the more durable, tough guys who just grits his teeth and gets through it," said his racing partner, Scott Davis.

"Extremely competitive and determined."

In Wasilla - population 7,200 - Alaska's "First Dude" is known largely as a hockey dad who has taken on more family responsibilities because of his wife's high-powered political career as Alaska's governor and, now, as the Republican candidate for vice president.

STIRRING CONTROVERSY

Over the years, Palin has drawn criticism for allegedly sitting in on the governor's media briefings in her Juneau office. More recently, the state legislature has launched an investigation into allegations that the Palins tried to get a relative fired from his job for threatening the family.

Also, Palin's snowmobile racing is sponsored by a variety of Alaskan companies - oil companies, in particular - and that has raised some concerns over conflict of interest.

But for many people in a town where personal, political and business interests often overlap, the complaints don't bring much more than a shrug.

"We're very independent people," Harrell said.

Sarah and Todd Palin met at Wasilla High School shortly after he moved here. As the story goes, the then-Sarah Heath was smitten with the basketball star, as he was of her.

After graduation, Sarah went to college in Hawaii and Idaho, while Todd stayed in Alaska. Sarah graduated in 1987 with a degree in communications from the University of Idaho, and a year later the couple eloped. They were married in a city hall ceremony meant to save on a costly wedding.

The couple has five children, from 18-year-old Track, who joined the Army and is about to ship out to Iraq, to Trig, born five months ago with Down syndrome.

Todd Palin, 44, this month, has said little since his wife entered the campaign and several requests for interviews with him and family members went unanswered.

Todd inherited his family's commercial fishing business and sets nets for salmon every spring in Bristol Bay, often with Sarah, 44, along to help with the rugged work aboard a 32-foot fishing boat.

He works as a facilities operator for British oil giant BP on the North Slope oil fields. He took a leave from his management job shortly after his wife was elected governor in 2006, but returned after about seven months for a nonmanagement job, according to BP spokesman Steve Reinhard.

He typically works half the month at the North Slope and is off the other half, as do many of the oil field workers.

INTENSE SNOWMOBILER

Sports is a centerpiece of the Palin family life, friends say. Whenever Todd's name is mentioned around town, it's usually about the Tesoro Iron Dog snowmobile race - a week-long dash as fast as 100 mph by two-man teams from Wasilla to Nome to Fairbanks. It is said to be among the most challenging tests of humans and machines in the country.

Davis, Palin's racing partner, said that when Todd isn't "busy cleaning and cooking and taking the kids," he's working on a snowmobile.

The two men train for several months before the race and spend tens of thousands of dollars on their machines. Davis has won seven times and Palin four, although as a team they've won only once.

Davis said the two have registered for the race in February next year, but whether Palin will be able to compete depends on the outcome of the presidential campaign. Besides, Davis said, the two men are among the older competitors now.

"At our age, it takes more and more dedication," he said.

Fortunately, it take more than muscle to win.

"The fastest guy rarely wins," Davis said. "It's the guy who gets to the finish line first and that means navigation and mechanics and doing a better job."